What We Do

The Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment works to advance circular economy packaging systems for a net zero world. We lead on the science, sustainability and value of packaging to society.

What does this look like in our day-to-day work?

Much of our focus is on positively shaping the UK packaging agenda through our efforts on policy, research and data.

Policy

The UK Collection and Packaging Reforms bring huge potential to evolve the UK’s packaging sector towards more circular economy systems. The reforms include:

  • packaging Extended Producer Responsibility
  • Deposit Return Scheme
  • Simpler Recycling in England
  • Plastic Packaging Tax

INCPEN collaborates closely with the UK Government, Devolved Administrations and the whole of the packaging supply chain to advance circular economy packaging systems. We communicate, facilitate and inform, helping to keep our Members and our Trades Associations Group Members (TAG) fully briefed in a dynamic economic and legislative policy environment.

We support our Members and TAG in responding to Government consultations directly or in shared responses on behalf of the wider industry which we regularly pull together and submit. We contribute and represent our Members on a range of steering groups and working groups including those set up by Government.

We also work very closely on policy matters in Europe, particularly on Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation.

Research

The Industry Council for Packaging and Environment had a strong research emphasis in our early days. We continue to firmly believe in a science and evidence-based approach to decision making on packaging circularity. In recent years we have focused our research on UK Citizens. For us, knowledge and insight on what the UK public understand, think and (claim to) do, when it comes to recycling or re-using their packaging is an invaluable tool to help inform the UK packaging agenda.

We currently commission annual citizens research within the UK & Ireland across five areas: –

  1. Deposit Return Schemes
  2. Packaging perceptions & attitudes
  3. Climate & environment
  4. Confidence recyclates get recycled
  5. Quality of recycling services

Data

Having the latest packaging data is critical to inform actions and decision making for those working in the UK packaging value chain and those who have influence on our sector. How much packaging is the UK producing? What type of products and what materials are being used? How much of it is being recycled and how? What are the trends showing?

INCPEN regularly produces the latest household dry recycling data (dry recycling is largely packaging) from the 398 local authorities across the UK.

We are also one of several contributors to Valpak’s Packflow Report. The latest March 2024 report here analyses the quantity of packaging streams placed on the market in the UK and recycled in 2022.

Packaging Information

INCPEN publish a variety of Guidance, Fact Sheets and Research Reports. Topics covered range from packaging design and optimisation, packaging use, recycling and re-use, waste management, environmental impacts of packaging, packaging legislation and more…

We hope this information is helpful to business, waste management and government colleagues, packaging design students and citizens who want to understand more about the role of packaging in society and how we can minimise its environmental impact.

Thumbnail of the Packaging Information library on the INCPEN website

Awards and Innovation

INCPEN takes huge pleasure in celebrating the achievements of our vibrant and talented packaging sector. We are proud to celebrate the MANY incredible people who seek to positively impact the world through packaging. So much so, we proudly sponsor and support several national and international awards.

UK Packaging
Awards


INCPEN supports the UK Packaging Awards.

This includes sponsoring the Resource Efficient Packaging of the Year Award and contributing to the judging process.

Environmental Packaging
Awards

 

INCPEN supports the Environmental Packaging Awards.

This includes sponsoring the Environmental Champion Award of the Year and contributing to the judging process.

National Recycling
Awards

 

INCPEN supports the National Recycling Awards.

This includes sponsoring the Packaging Circular Economy Award and contributing to the judging process.

The Sustainability
Awards

 

INCPEN supports the Sustainability Awards.

This includes contributing to the judging process.

Starpack Schools & Students Awards

 

INCPEN supports the Starpack Schools & Students Awards.

This includes contributing to the judging process.